Australian International Education in a Globalised World

Why international students are Australia’s best tie to a globalised world:

‘Globalization is recovering from financial crisis, DHL Global Connectedness Index reveals…… Nonetheless, trade depth, as a distinct dimension of globalization, continues to stagnate and the overall level of global connectedness remains quite limited, implying that there could be gains of trillions of US dollars if boosted in future years.

Advanced economies have not kept up with this shift. This suggests that they may be missing out on growth opportunities in emerging markets. “Counteracting this trend would require more companies in advanced economies to boost their capacity to tap into faraway growth,” said Professor Pankaj Ghemawat, co-author of the report and internationally acclaimed globalization expert and business strategist. “This is particularly evident in light of the fact that a decades-long trend toward trade regionalization has gone into reverse.” In fact, the GCI 2014 reveals that every type of trade, capital, information and people flow measured has expanded over greater distances in 2013 than in 2005, the report’s baseline year.‘

In Australia’s case there seems to be an unspoken preference in some quarters for physical trade with our region, but not social interaction….. ala white Australia policy attitudes.

‘From Business Spectator: Australia has a rather narrow focus when it comes to talking about globalisation. The talk around our ties to an increasingly globalised world often revolves around Australia’s trade record, free-trade agreements and the need for foreign investment.

But a series of maps from this year’s DHL Global Connectedness report reveals that our best asset in a globalised economy is in fact our roaring international student trade. It’s the only category in which Australia ranks within the top 10 in terms of trade flow.’

Why have the Australia international education sector, and international students, been under attack about alleged widespread visa rorting, all students described as ‘immigrants’, runaway population growth (due to students being included in the NOM net overseas migration), increasing house prices, youth unemployment etc.; all arguments used by the ‘white nativist’ lobby to demonise non-European visitors, immigrants and citizens?

Conversely, there are moves in the UK to remove international students from the NOM data, especially as majority of British do not view international students as ‘immigrants’.

‘From Language Travel Magazine. UK public doesn’t see students as migrants. UK voters are “baffled” that international students are considered as migrants by the government and would oppose policy measures that are likely to reduce the number of students coming to the country, according to the results of a recent opinion poll.

International Students and the UK immigration debate was commissioned by Universities UK, the body representing the country’s higher education institutions, in partnership with British Future, an independent thinktank, and is based on a nationally representative survey of 2,111 people by polling and market research company ICM as well as six workshops held across the country…. the report’s authors said many were puzzled to find that the government counts them in migration statistics. “The most common reaction is surprise and even bafflement that international students are classified as immigrants at all,” said the report. “While many people may have negative feelings towards some forms of immigration, they view international students, on the whole, in a very positive light – as people who contribute economically, intellectually and culturally to Britain.”

Furthermore, 59 per cent of respondents to the survey said the government should not reduce the number of international students, even if that would limit the government’s ability to cut immigration numbers overall, compared with only 22 per cent of respondents saying that international student numbers should be reduced.

The report also found that people were largely supportive of post-study work rights for international students: three quarters said students should be able to remain after graduation for some time at least, while 41 per cent said students should remain as long as they have work’

Conversely, Australians and the international education sector don’t seem to care?

‘Australia’s International Image in Asia. Is Australia in danger of becoming ‘Asian white trash’? There is a tremendous opportunity for Australia to establish itself as a ‘hinge nation’ for the future economic power bases in East and South Asian societies. Unfortunately, Australia has an image problem … and it’s doing us no favours, writes Andrew Macleod.

Australia has a once in a millennium opportunity to reposition itself. The country has the chance to be the centre of the global power shift, but only if it gets the ‘brand’ right.’

Like Population Matters in the UK, Monash University’s Centre for Population and Urban Research and Sustainable Population Australia have been spreading the same negative white nativist memes about international students and education via mainstream media and politics, what has the sector done about it?